AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Lynch nodded. “I’ll make sure they look for the discarded gloves. But there’s something else you should see.” He motioned toward an evidence collection tech.
“What is it?”
“Something that will interest you.”
The tech walked over with a clear plastic bag. Lynch took it and held it up. It was a porcelain figurine of a woman, dressed in a blue-green gown. Its base was adorned with faded gold lettering.
Kendra gasped. “Naiad. The water nymph.”
He nodded. “It was standing up on the dashboard.”
She squinted at the statue’s fine detail. “This has to be the object that was stolen from the Spalman boy’s house. It was purposefully left here for us to find…”
“Yes. And whoever did it knows enough about our investigation to realize we’d make the connection.” His lips twisted as he added, “And the son of a bitch was damn confident Tricia was going to die tonight. It’s my guess he was prepared to ditch the car once he killed her.”
Kendra shuddered as that thought hit home. Tricia had come so close to being crushed under those wheels in that moment before Kendra had pushed her out of the way. “We have to do something. She can’t stay here on campus.”
Lynch’s brows rose. “And what do you propose?”
“We’ll convince her to stay with me.”
“Easier said than done. You don’t think the FBI protective detail will be enough?”
“Not here. Look what just happened. They were just a few yards away, and there still wasn’t anything they could do about this Escalade bearing down on her. It’ll be easier for them to protect her if she’s at my place.”
Lynch thought about it for a moment. “I’ll certainly feel better if I can take over some aspects of her security. Where is she now?”
“In her dorm. There are two agents stationed outside. I’ll call her now.” Kendra pulled out her phone and called Tricia’s cell phone.
She answered on the first ring. “Kendra! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I told you it was just a bruise. But I want to discuss something Lynch and I have just been talking about.”
“Really?” Tricia asked warily. “Should I be worried?”
“No, not if you let us help you.” Kendra told her about Lynch’s pursuit and the statue that had been left behind in the Escalade.
Tricia was silent for a long moment.
Kendra had to push her. “Tricia? You know where this is going?”
“Yeah, and it’s scaring me.”
“I’d like you to come stay with me. As long as this monster is out there, you’ll be safer there. We can have more control over your security.”
Silence. “I’m not stopping my training.”
“No one is asking you to.”
Tricia was silent for another long moment before responding. “Okay.”
Kendra drew a relieved breath. “You’ll do it? You’re not going to make us wait for your answer or jump through hoops?”
“I would never have been that rude.” She laughed. “And I have respect for you, even if you hadn’t saved me from being crushed like a cockroach. Too much respect to let that son of a bitch go after you. I haven’t had to worry about anyone else being hurt because of me until he targeted you. It’s a tough thing to live with, knowing I could be the cause of someone being hurt or killed.” Her voice lowered. “Besides, I’ve got too much to do with my life. No one is going to take it from me. Yes, my eyes were opened tonight. I’ll do whatever you want, within reason.”
“Then you’ll come back to my condo tonight?”
“No. Tomorrow night. I’ll be ready to leave the dorm at seven and go direct to the pool. After my training session, I’ll come to your condo. After all, I have to pack and make ‘reasonable’ excuses to my roommates. I don’t want to worry them.”
